AMA-JAMA to Investigate Following AHRP Complaint

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 27, 2009

AMA REQUESTS JOURNAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REVIEW

Statement attributable to:Joseph M. Heyman, M.D. AMA Board Chair

"The American Medical Association is owner and publisher of the Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA) and its specialty Archives journals. While we are ultimately responsible for these publications, as most in the medical and journalism professions are aware, these journals are editorially independent of AMA. That means we do not review or interfere in what is printed in these journals.

"Recently, concerns have been raised over how JAMA editors addressed a conflict of interest issuebrought to light by Professor Jonathan Leo. As owner and publisher of JAMA, we take these concerns very seriously.

"In accordance with the Editorial Governance Plan for JAMA, this entire matter is being formally referred to the Journal Oversight Committee (JOC). The AMA is requesting that the JOC examine the concerns related to Professor Leo’s inquiry and upon completion present its findings to the AMA Board of Trustees. The AMA Board will give careful consideration to whatever is reported to it by the JOC."